


You Never Felt So Free

by romanticalgirl



Series: Crowded Room [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Antagonism, Enemies to Friends, First Meetings, Gen, Locked In, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Steve Rogers is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-14 01:40:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15377874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanticalgirl/pseuds/romanticalgirl
Summary: For the trope bingo card "Locked In"Steve just went to get a package. That's all.





	You Never Felt So Free

“This is ridiculous. You’re a _superhero_.” He gives Steve a look that probably makes bad guys cower in fear, but doesn’t phase Steve in the slightest. “I mean, that’s what they say in the press. ‘Watch out, bad guys. The Winter Soldier’s in town.’” He quotes one of the latest magazines -- People’s _Sexiest Man in the Universe_ \-- which is a total lie, because Steve’s seen Thor, thank you very much.

“You’re not helping.”

“Which is a stupid name, by the way. Better than that whole ‘Captain America’ you had going on for a while, mind you. But, you know, goth and emo went out ages ago. I mean, does Stark actually make your uniform, or do you shop at _Hot Topic_?”

“Do you ever shut up?” The Winter Soldier growls. “Or are you trying to annoy me so much I’ll get us out of here just to get away from you?”

“Not like your _super strength_ is doing anything.” Steve makes the appropriate air quotes.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The glare he aims in Steve’s direction is pretty vicious, but Steve’s used to worse. “Should I let _you_ try to get us out?”

“Not sure I could do worse.”

“I wonder how you’d work as a battering ram.”

Steve rolls his eyes. He’s five-and-a-half feet tall and weighs a hundred and twenty if he’s just had a big meal. He’s more like a toothpick than a battering ram. “So, is there a hat that you draw the names out of? A generator app? A dartboard? Wheel of fortune? One of those See-N-Says? Like, ‘The cow goes Winter Soldier.’” He tries to get a moo-ish sound in there, but the words don’t really lend themselves to it.

“Are you sure you’re not a super-villain? Because usually only they monologue this damn much.” He turns back to the wall that Steve’s pretty sure was a door when they started, but there aren’t any seams that he can see. He’s never built a house or anything, but he’s pretty sure a door has some sort of hinge or rolling device.

Of course, he failed physics, so what does he know?

“Maybe it’s like the Cave of Wonders. Needs a magic phrase to open it. Like ‘Open Sesame.’ Or ‘Let us out because he’s about to start shooting at something.’”

“If getting stuck with you is any indication of my luck, it’d probably ricochet and kill you, and then I’d have to deal with the press. Of course, then you’d be _quiet_.”

“I’d die dramatically. Make all sorts of noises.” Steve goes over to the non-door and touches it, wondering if it’s like one of those cabinets in his kitchen, where you have to push it in to deactivate the magnet’s hold. Or however that works. 

He failed physics _spectacularly_.

Not that he’s sure magnets are physics things. Math and science weren’t his strong suits.

It doesn’t work anyway. 

“What about your fancy communicators? Can you call your teammates? Surely one of them has door-defeating technology. Or, like, a hairpin or something to pick the lock.”

“What lock?”

He growls the words again, and Steve’s beginning to think they should have called him something like “Grumpy Lion” instead of “The Winter Soldier.” Which is still a dumb name.

“No. Seriously here, since we’re stuck with one another. What’s up with the name? You were all jingoistic, rah-rah celebrate our racist, capitalistic, corrupt country and now you’re a fucking Thomas Paine, which interestingly, has some bisexual overtones. “ _But he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman_.’” Steve shrugs. “My college English professor said that the devil can quote scripture, which maybe led to a protest about homophobic teachings in the curriculum.”

“Why am I not surprised to learn that about you?”

Steve straightens and glares at him. “That I’m bisexual?”

“No. That’d you’d start a protest.” He walks away and slumps against the opposite wall. It’s less of a room and more like a big closet, but, to be fair, it’s almost larger than Steve’s first apartment. “And Tony chose it.”

“That actually makes a lot of sense. I mean, he’s _Stark_. Dramatic.” Steve waves his hand around. “Grandiose.”

“He said I’m cool as ice and follow orders.”

“Pretty sure that’s a bad white rapper joke. Apparently Tony Stark is sort of a dick. Not that I didn’t notice that before. Who would you be if it weren’t for Grandpa Avenger?”

“Technically I’m older than him.”

“Yeah, but you look younger. And are marginally hotter. I mean, the scruff is way more appealing than the whole Van Dyke thing he’s got going on.” Steve shrugs. “I mean, stubble burn versus… I don’t know what that would leave.” He realizes what he’s said about the second the other guy’s eyes widen. “Um.”

“Bucky.”

Steve raises an eyebrow. “What-ty?”

“Bucky. Barnes. Or maybe Sergeant.”

“Sergeant Soldier?”

“Just Sergeant. Or Sergeant Barnes. But Bucky’s better.”

“No, seriously. _Bucky_? You do realize you’re an adult, right?”

“You realize you’re kind of an asshole, right?”

“I’m insulted by the qualifier there.” Steve sinks to the floor and leans against the wall. “I’m a total asshole. Trust me, I know. I’ve been told that numerous times.”

“What’s your name?”

“Steve. Steve Rogers. No military ranking or super-secret superhero name.” He puts his feet out in front of him. Bucky sits across from him, copying his pose, their soles touching. “I came down here to pick up a package. Apparently I work for an evil organization. Which sucks, because now I have to find a new job, and the country’s asshole-in-chief means getting them to cover pre-existing conditions is going to be a bitch.”

“The _whole_ organization might not be evil.”

“They have a secret cell with no door in the basement. I’m thinking the evil runs pretty deep.”

“You may have a point.” Bucky nods and shrugs all at once. “We have a pretty decent insurance plan. I think. Shitty 401(k) though. Since, well, we don’t really get paid.”

“Yeah. Not a lot to invest. I bet Stark’s given you all stock though. I mean, he’s kind of a pompous jerk, but seems like he’s kind of generous too.” He says it grudgingly, one corner of his mouth turned down.

“So what do you do? I mean, you said you came down to get a package. You a mail...guy? Boy?”

“No. I don’t work in the mail room. I got sent down here by my supervisor to find out why the report he asked for from HR hadn’t shown up. I was almost to his office when some huge guy barrelled into me and I ended up in a concrete cell.”

“To be fair, I was blasted through a wall. And I grabbed you and turned so I took the brunt of the floor.” Bucky crosses his arms over his chest, and Steve is fairly certain he’s _pouting_. “Which I have yet to be thanked for. Besides, I think your HR person might be evil.”

“I could have told you that, but I wouldn’t have meant in an evil organization attempting to ‘take over New York and the world’ way.” Steve frowns, nose and forehead wrinkling. “Probably.”

Bucky huffs a smile. “So what do you do?”

“Data entry and filing. That’s how you know I’m not evil. If I were, I’d have a much better job.”

Bucky’s about to say something when the wall next to Steve does _something_ and suddenly there’s an opening that should not, in any explicable way, be there. Tony Stark is standing right outside, mask away from his face, and a smug smile curving his lips. 

“Aw, my favorite damsel in distress.”

Bucky flips him off, which makes Steve snort. After getting to his feet, Bucky extends a hand down to Steve and helps him up. Steve dusts off his butt and gives him a smile. “So, of all the people to get locked in a room with, you weren’t the worst.”

“You were.” Bucky says it with a smile though, so Steve just gives him a mock glare. “Tony, this is Steve. He’s now out of a job. Hire him and give him good insurance. And whatever you do, don’t subject me to him ever again.”

“Right,” Tony nods as Bucky walks past him. “Hire the completely unknown person from the evil company we just brought down. Obviously.” Looking Steve up and down, Stark smiles slowly. “Hey, kid. How do you feel about being his secretary?”


End file.
